Trousers-press and suit-hanger.



I PATBNTEDAPR. 11, 1905.

. I P: '1. GR UHL.-.

I TROUSERS PRESS A'ND' SUIT HANG-ER. "APPLICATION IHED JUNE 20, 1904;

'7 no 186.866; *i

UNITED STATES Patented April 11, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

TROUSERS-PRESS AND SUIT-HANGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 786,806, dated. April 11, 1905.

Application filed June 20,1904. Serial No. 213,275.

' waukee and State of Wisconsin, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Trousers- Presses and Suit-Hangers, of which the fol lowing is a description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, whlch are a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus or mechanism embodying improved means for pressing trousers and for support ing, by hanging thereon, a vest and coat, making up a complete suit of clothes, which apparatus or mechanism is of simple and compact form, strong and enduring in quality, and is capable of being readily and successfully operated for the purposes for which it is intended. V The invention consists of the apparatus or mechanism, its parts and combinations of parts, as herein described and claimed or the equivalents thereof.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of the improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is an edge view of the apparatus in elevation. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1 looking downwardly, the legs of a pair of trousers being shown therewith and illustrating the method of pressing the trousers; and Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the apparatus, the movable parts being open or in initial positions.

The improved apparatus is made advisably chiefly of wood, especially of boards, that will be sufficiently strong if they do not exceed one inch in thickness and may be less than that. The main or body part of the apparatus consists of a flat board back 2 of elongated form. Two pressing-leaves 3 3, hinged at their edges to the back 2, are arranged to fold toward and nearly down upon the back 2. These leaves extend from near the top of the back down near to the bottom thereof. The two leaves 3 3 are together advisably less wide than the entire width of the-back, so as when folded upon the back, as shown in Fig. 1, to not cover a space 4 between the inner and adjacent edges of the leaves, which space provides for permitting the seams of the trousers-legs to lie therein when the trousers B' are being pressed in the manner clearly indicated in Fig. 3. A fastening-bar5 is secured to one of the leaves 3 and is of such length as to extend substantially across the two leaves 3 3 when folded upon the back, as shown in Fig. 1, and thebar 5 is provided with means for securing it releasably near its free end to the other leaf, which means may consist of a headed pin 6,. fixed in the leaf and adapted to project through a hole therefor in the bar 5 and to be caught by a latch 7, pivoted on the bar 5 and having a recess adapted to take the shank of the pin 6 therein, while the head is caught by the latch.

As the cloth of trousers is infolded upwardly at their lower ends, thus making the trousers-legs at that locality of double thickness, 1 provide independent means for pressing the lower ends of such upturned portions of the trousers-legs. For this purpose blocks 8 8, advisably of wedge shape, their thicker ends being downwardly and at the lower end of the back 2, are secured to the back on its front surface, one near each side edge thereof. A transversely-disposed auxiliary pressingleaf 9 is hinged near its ends and at its lower edge to the'lower ends of the blocks 8 and is adapted to fold down upon the doubled lower ends of the legs of the trousers and on the outer surfaces of the blocks 8 in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2. whereby it is adapted to press the interposed legs of trousers at their bottom infolded and doubled ends to such extent as is necessary. The leaf 9 is secured in its infolded position on the blocks 8 8 by headed-pins 1O 10, fixed in the blocks 8 and extending through holes therefor in the leaf, and caught and held releasably by swinging latches 11 11, pivoted on the leaf 9. The leaf 9 is cut away in its lower edge between the blocks 88, as shown-at 12, so as to provide suflicient clearance for interposed tron; sers when the leaf is being swung to or from its infolded position.

' The top of the back 2 is preferably curved and terminates with a curved or arched and somewhat-thickened bow-piece 13, which is adapted to take and support thereon a vest or a coat in a manner that is well known as a coat-hanger. This top bow-piece is provided with a hook 14, by which the entire apparatus may be hung up on a wall or in a closet or at any convenient place.

Flat springs 15 15, secured to the respective edges of the back 2 above the leaves 3, project inwardly opposite and near to the front surface of the back 2 and are adapted to receive thereunder and to hold temporarily the legs of the trousers when the trousers are being placed in the press While itis in an upright position and until the leaves 3 shall be folded upon the legs of the trousers to hold them in firm and pressing situation. When the leaves have been folded onto the trouserslegs and have been secured in position by the bar 5, the upper portions of the trousers may be released from the springs 15 and permitted to drop down upon the rounded top pieces 16 16, fixed on and along the upper ends of the leaves 3, and the top portion of the trousers folding over the top pieces 16 will lie against the outer surface of the leaves 3 and may be secured releasably in place thereon by being put under the flat spring 17, secured to the leaf 3 and projecting near to and opposite the outer surface of the leaf.

What I claim as my invention is 1. A trousers-press, comprising a flat back, leaves hinged at their outer edges to the back and folding inwardly toward and to near the surface of the back, and means for holding the leaves releasably in infolded position.

2. A trousers-press, comprising a flat back, leaves of less width together than the back hinged at their outer edges to the back and folding inwardly toward and to near the surface of the back but leaving a longitudinal space between the infolded leaves for seams on trousers being pressed thereby, and means for securing the leaves releasably in infolded position.

3. A trousers-press, comprising a flat back, leaves hinged at their outer edges to the back and folding inwardly toward and to near the surface of the back, a cross-bar secured to the outer surface of one leaf medially and of a length to extend across both leaves when in infolded position and means for securing the bar releasably to the other infolded leaf.

4. In combination in a trousers-press, an upright back, leaves hinged to the back and folding nearly thereto, rounded top pieces on and along the top ends of the leaves over and upon which pieces when the leaves are infolded the legs of trousers may be folded and supported, and means for securing the leaves in infolded position.

5. In combination in a trousers-press, a back, leaves hinged to the side edges of the back adapted to fold inwardly upon the back, an auxiliary pressing-leaf hinged to the lower end of the back and adapted to fold inwardly to near the back below the side leaves, and, means for securing the leaves releasably in i nfolded positions.

6. In atrousers-press, a back, leaves hinged to the edges of the back to fold inwardly to near to and opposite the front surface of the back, wedge-shaped blocks on the back near its edges below the side leaves, an auxiliary leaf hinged on the lower ends of the blocks and adapted to infold upwardly onto the blocks being kept thereby at a distance from the back, and means for securing the leaves releasably in infolded positions.

7 In combination in a trousers-press, a back, leaves hinged to the side edges of the back to infold to near the back, an auxiliary leaf hinged to the bottom of the back to infold upwardly toward the back below the side leaves, means for securing the leaves releasably in infolded positions, springs on the back above the leaves to support trousers temporarily, and a spring on the outer surface of one of the side leaves to hold the drooping portion of trousers being pressed.

8. In combination in a trousers-press, a back, leaves hinged to the side edges of the back to infold to near the back, an auxiliary leaf hinged to the bottom of the back to infold upwardly toward the back and below the side leaves, means for securing the leaves releasably in infolded positions, a transverse bow-piece fixed on and across the top of the back, and a hook in the bow-piece centrally at the top for supporting the apparatus and its load.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK J. GRUHL.

\Vitne sses:

C. T. BENEDICT, ALMA KLUG. 

